5 Times Howard Tried Inviting Angie Out On A Date and One Time She did
by Mad J-J
Summary: Peggy has to witness Howard falling over himself around women - again - except this time it's over Angie. And apparently Angie is a hard woman to catch.
1. No

1.

The first time Howard Stark meets Angie Martinelli, Peggy takes one look at him, grabs him by the arm and practically throws him out with a very firm:

"No."

* * *

A/N: Yes, this is short. More to come!


	2. Broadway

2.

It only takes Peggy one day, getting roped up at work, to go home to Howard and Angie engrossed in a conversation they interrupt as soon as she arrives.

"Oh, Peggy, I was just about to tell Mr. Stark –"

"Please, Angel, it's just Howard, Mr. Stark is my father."

"Sure, Mr. Stark," says the waitress without missing a beat, and Peggy has to hide a smile behind her hand, "I've got great news!"

They both completely ignore Howard's attempts at protests. Let the attention not be focused on him for once.

"Tell me, what is it?" asks Peggy with an excitement mirroring her roommate's.

That's one of the reason why she likes the girl so much; her enthusiasm and cheerfulness are infectious. It makes a lot of somber days lighter when she comes home to an excited friend telling her all about the day she just had, even if it was terrible, with animation and wild reenactment.

"I got a call back from an audition!"

Peggy smiles widely, wracking her brain to remember which one it could be. Angie has been so intent on her acting career recently; all the names of roles and directors are a jumble of detached syllables in her mind. Thankfully she doesn't have to guess which it could be, her friend happily going on after seeing the positive reaction:

"A Broadway show, I got the lead role!"

She goes on to describe the synopsis of the show, before concluding with:

"Oh, I've got to call my mother!"

She storms off the room to the nearest phone, leaving behind a delighted Peggy and a bemused Howard.


	3. Character Analysis

3.

"He is an utter wanker," growls Peggy as she closes the front door Jack Thompson just used to leave their house.

"I like him."

Peggy rolls her eyes as if to say, 'of course you do'.

"He has ambition," continues Howard. "He simply needs to learn how to channel it. I wouldn't have gotten where I am without ambition and some deception!"

Peggy knows it's going to be one of those discussions where Howard goes on to remind everyone that he is, in fact, rich, and really, hadn't you notice? So, she changes the focus of the room to Angie who is paying more attention to the script she's studying.

"What do you think of Thompson, Angie?"

She looks up suddenly, somehow managing not to wring her neck in the process.

"What? Thompson? Oh yeah sure, he's cute, English."

Howard frowns at that. Peggy simply says:

"Really?"

"Well, he's not bad looking," Angie shrugs and almost goes back to the paper in her hands. Then an expression of concentration passes on her face and she continues, "He has this tortured cop thing going on too."

Howard frankly scoffs at that.

"I don't think we saw the same cop then."

Angie narrows her eyes at him, and Peggy is sure she's this close to stick out her tongue in his direction. Instead, she goes on to deliver, in Peggy's opinion, a character analysis impressively on point for someone who didn't hear the story of how Thompson obtained his medal.

"He's trying to prove himself. To himself or to the world or to both, I don't know, but there's something he's trying to avoid acknowledging, so he acts confident and careless. His blatant disrespect of Peggy," she pulls a face saying that, which comforts Peggy. Angie can find him as cute as she wants, but she'd hate for her friend to not notice his misogynism, "is just a way to assert himself. It proves how fragile he feels. He's got something to prove, or something to fix, and maybe that's why he's a cop," and with that she dives right back in the papers on her lap.

Peggy doesn't correct her to say Thompson is an Agent, because Angie uses both terms interchangeably. She's much more interested in Howard's gob smacked expression.

Before Howard leaves, he turns toward Angie, still fully absorbed in the script, as if to tell her something, then seems to change his mind and turns away without saying anything.

Peggy wears the widest of smiles for the rest of the day. She doesn't remember dealing with a mute Howard Stark in a long time.


	4. Nino

4.

Peggy is introducing herself to Angie's brother when Howard barges in, as is usually his habit.

"… And this is Howard Stark," says Angie to her brother, as used to Howard's interruptions as Peggy is. "Mr. Stark, this is my brother, Nino. He'll be staying with us a few days – hope it's not a problem?"

"Of course not, Angel, and I already told you, this is Howard –"

"'Angel'?" asks Nino.

Peggy doesn't think she imagines the aggressive tone in the voice of Angie's brother. She can't blame him for eyeing the billionaire up and down the way he does; Howard's conquests are frequently plastered across newspapers headlines. People need new distractions after the War, and Howard's eccentricities are perfect for that.

"Sounds better than Angie," responds Howard without looking in Nino's direction. "I was wondering, Angel –"

"Wait a second, what do you mean, 'sounds better'? Are you sayin' 'Angie''s not pretty enough?"

Angie rolls her eyes and grabs her brother's arm gently, but firmly.

"Oh, please Nino, 'Angie's already a nickname. Say, how about I show you the other rooms? You'll see, this place is huge!"

She then proceeds to take him to the guest rooms and effectively distract him from the man he was taking offense with.

"What were you going to ask her?" says Peggy to Howard once they're left alone.

"Nothing important."

He shoves his hands in his pockets in a way that indicates that it was important enough to frustrate him, and leaves the room.


	5. The Stage

5.

Last time, he had said he had to check if he hadn't forgotten his hat (Howard hasn't worn a hat once when coming to this house). Now, apparently, he was just 'in the neighborhood". Peggy wonders what it'll be next time.

"She's not here you know."

"Who?" he asks innocently.

"Angie. She's not here, she just left for her rehearsal."

"Why would you assume I came here to see Angel?"

Peggy gives him a pointed look.

"Because you tend to leave as soon as you've made sure Angie's not around? Because you are blatantly looking at the door? Because I'm not blind?"

"I don't see what you're talking about," he denies with a shrug that doesn't fool her for a minute.

"Just be careful. She's my friend before you are."

"We've known each other for much longer!" he protests. "And what is that supposed to mean?"

"I know. Doesn't matter. If you hurt her the way I think you will, I'm siding with her."

"I would n-"

Angie barges in, walks up to the coffee table, and grabs a stack of papers.

"Sorry English, forgot this!"

Howard gets up as soon as he sees her, even taking a step into her direction. Peggy is struck by how much of a lost puppy he looks like in this instant.

"Hey, Angel –"

"Sorry, Mr. Stark, no time for Angel, Angie or Angela right now! The stage is calling for Maria Martinelli," she exclaims with the flourish that now comes with her name dressed in city lights on the billboards, Italian accent and grand gesture emphasizing to the point of parody, "can't be late!"

And with that, she storms off, leaving once again a forlorn Howard behind.


	6. 1 The Date

+1

"Broadway's fine, but I really want to see the big screen again. So, what do you say, English? Wanna come with me to the pictures?"

"Sorry Angie, I can't right now. I've just been called to the office again –"

"Hey, you don't have to apologize! I'm sure you want to spend as much time with Daniel as you can," Angie winks at her.

"That's not –" Peggy starts to protest, but she's interrupted by Howard coming in the room, his hands full with whatever tools he _absolutely_ had to come back to fetch in this house. Peggy thinks that at this point his excuses are getting ridiculous.

"Hey, Mr. Stark! I was thinking to going to the movies with Peggy, but apparently, she's already taken. Wanna come?"

Peggy has the distinct impression that for a moment, he's going to drop the heavy toolbox in his hands, but he doesn't. Instead, he answers:

"Only if you call me Howard, Angel. And if we make this a date."

When they both leave, tool box forgotten behind, Peggy thinks she has never seen Howard this relieved.

* * *

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